Trickery
by PinkFairy23
Summary: "Come upstairs?" his tone clearly indicated what he had in mind as he came to sit across from her on the couch. "Now?" she picked up the pencil she had been fiddling with and turned back to the papers on her lap, "It's the middle of the day, everyone will wonder where we are."


"Cora, what are you doing in here?" She had been sitting in the library for the better part of two hours now, running through lists with the staff for a large party on the weekend. Mrs Hughes had just left and now she looking over designs for some new dresses which had to be chosen by Wednesday at the latest.

"I could ask you the same question darling." He smirked at her as he walked further into the library, ignoring her tone of voice which was clearly a warning. He wasn't usually in here at this time either, but he had come to find his wife and this is where he had been directed.

"Come upstairs?" his tone clearly indicated what he had in mind as he came to sit across from her on the couch.

"Now?" she picked up the pencil she had been fiddling with and turned back to the papers on her lap, "It's the middle of the day, everyone will wonder where we are."

"I know darling, it will be like old times." He considered her for a moment, she had a pencil between her fingers and a pile of papers in her lap. Some hair had escaped its perch and was tucked messily behind her ear. She also had a tiny frown on her face, due to the papers or him he wasn't sure. "Actually I'm supposed to be in the village, so they would only wonder where you are. And besides, it's really nobody's business what I do with my wife."

They really hadn't done anything like that for years, their children, no longer children, would certainly guess what they were up to.

"I'm too old"

"Nonsense my darling, still as beautiful as the day I met you." He was staring at her intently and she knew this could go on forever if one of them didn't give in.

"Nevertheless… old"

"Darling please." He was giving her a look now and she felt her resistance weaken slightly, but it really was inappropriate at their age. And besides she was very busy and well… she just didn't have time right now. No doubt they would stay up there all afternoon once they had begun.

Their conversation was interrupted by the entrance of their eldest daughter and her natural curiosity, "What are you two going on about?"

Robert gave Cora a very meaningful look and she briefly shut her eyes knowing she would probably give in anyway. "Your Father was just telling me that he had a bit of a headache and thought he might take a rest before luncheon"

A grin lit up Roberts face which he quickly hid, swiping his hand across his brow realising his error, he did his best to appear ill. "Ah yes, I started walking down to the village when I began to feel rather ill."

Mary had come to sit beside her mother and Cora raised an eyebrow at her husband, he couldn't be worse at lying if he tried. Mary however seemed to buy it, "Oh Papa, you must rest if you are unwell, we have a rather large party coming up at the end of the week and you must be well for that." Robert had begun to turn a rosy shade of pink adding to the illusion of illness, causing Mary's brow to furrow. "You had better go up Papa, I'm sure you won't do yourself any good being down here."

He ran a hand across his pink face before standing, "Yes you're right darling." He walked over to Mary pressing a kiss to her cheek before turning to Cora. He leant down to press a kiss to her cheek but she turned her face away from him, "I don't want your germs."

She could almost feel his annoyance at her little display, "I have a headache Cora."

She gave a small smile before giving her cheek over to his lips. He turned to walk out of the room slowly leaving the two women alone. Cora could feel Mary watching her as she returned to the papers in her lap and she wondered if she knew what was really going on. When Robert had finally left the room with an audible sigh which was probably directed at her, Mary spoke, "Well, go on." She looked at Mary with a raised eyebrow. "Aren't you going to go after him and make sure he's okay?"

"He's a grown man Mary, I think he can safely find his way to his bedroom in a house he has lived in his whole life." Mary simply raised an eyebrow her words lost as there was a quiet tap on the door and Carson entered to announce the Dowager Countess, who shuffled in and sat across from Cora without a word.

"Where is Robert?"

Mary answered her grandmother, "He just went upstairs, he isn't well."

She frowned and turned to her daughter in law with a smirk, "Well shouldn't you be up there tending to his every whim?"

It was true, she had been known in the past she supposed to fuss over Robert when he was sick. But he really wasn't sick and she knew if she went upstairs what would happen. It wasn't that she didn't want to make love to her husband, she really did have a lot to prepare for the large party which was attending at the end of the week. Which he well knew. She had been fussing about it all week. Both women were staring at her now though and she really felt she had no choice. If only they knew the truth.

"If you will excuse me." She dropped her papers and pencil onto the table before sweeping out of the room two smirks following her out.

/

She found her husband laying on her bed, minus his shoes, apparently waiting for her. He sat up at her arrival and waited as she locked the door behind her, wisely choosing not to comment on it. She walked to stand in front of him, her arms folded to her chest, an exasperated look on her face.

"Your mother and eldest daughter practically banished me upstairs."

He smiled at her as he reached out to unfold her arms and take her hand gently in his. "Well I shall have to thank them later."

"You will do nothing of the sort." He stood and pulled her into his arms, rubbing her back slowly, her arms lying limply at her sides.

"Oh come on Cora, you're up here now." He began to lavish her neck with soft loving kisses, "we may as well."

She relaxed into his kisses, warm on her neck, as his hands began to move lower and she could feel them begin to pull at her dress, searching for skin. Her arms wound around his middle as she spoke, "Fine, but Robert" he pulled away to look at her, and she squeezed his sides meaningfully, "Were not staying up here all afternoon."

"We'll see darling." And with that he spunk them around and pushed her down onto the bed.


End file.
